The Alpha (The Lycans 4)

Adryan shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. “Odhran’s on a mission,” he said matter-of-factly. “Can’t blame him. I’ll help all I can, give him whatever resources he needs. And if he wants me on his side to get his female back, then I’m there.” He was silent for a moment before continuing.

“What’s in it for ye?” Cian asked, the suspicion in his voice. “Because ye and I both kno’ ye don’t do shite for free.”

Adryan grinned, just a flash of straight white teeth and barely held-in menace. “Being the boss has its pros and cons, wolf. You think I enjoy delegating violence, when I’d much rather dole it out myself?” He cracked his knuckles as if thinking about all the violence he could deliver. “And these Assembly fuckers need to be taken down, so that’s what we’re going to do.” A heartbeat of silence passed. “And it’d be the most glorious fucking display of blood and body parts. The next greatest fucking art show.”

He started laughing in that sadistic, maniacal way of his that confirmed he wasn’t sane. Not in the least.

“But I can see he wants to do this on his own,” Adryan said after he stopped laughing.

I nodded slowly, although Adryan wasn’t speaking to me, and it wasn’t as if I truly knew about any of this, about journeys and adventures, about mates and wanting that lifelong connection. I didn’t know about losing someone for decades, only to be so close they could be in your life once more.

“Aye,” Cian said almost raggedly. “He will no’ take help easily.” He ran a hand over his short hair. “He’s stubborn and prideful, and he feels like when he lost her, it was his fault. He wants tae do this on his own, because he feels like it’s the only way he can be forgiven for letting her be ripped from his life.”

As I looked up at Cian, my heart swelled, because I knew that even though I hadn’t been taken from him, he’d still been looking for me. He’d do that for the rest of his life if it came down to it. He’ll always come for me.

I knew that so deeply that it sucked the air from my lungs.

And it was at that moment that I realized how hard I’d fallen for him. Hopelessly, irrevocably… painfully in love with my Lycan.

28

Evelyn

After we left Adryan’s house, we’d driven for over an hour and a half to the hotel we were currently in. Cian wanted to stop at a rinky-dink little motel we passed much earlier on in the trip, but with the memories of all the shit that had happened the last time I’d been at a motel off the highway, I told him to keep going.

He’d wanted to fight me, wanting me to rest at the first place we saw, but once I explained my aversion to it, his jaw clenched, and he nodded once, not speaking again as he kept driving. But he held my hand the entire time, his grip firm as if he didn’t want to let me go.

So here we were, in a hotel so fancy I felt out of place. Hell, the bathrooms had plush, expensive-feeling robes and little bottles of shampoo and conditioner with French-sounding names I couldn't pronounce.

I thought back to when we got to the hotel and made our way out of the car, noticing Cian grabbing a large black duffel that looked heavy. I hadn’t missed the metal-on-metal clanking sound that had come from the inside of that bag and knew instantly it was weapons. Maybe it should have terrified me, but it didn’t. In fact, it made me feel safe, knowing Cian had the means to take care of us in the only way we could with the people who wanted to hurt and maim.

I was wrapped in a plush white robe as I sat in the center of a massive bed. I’d taken a shower not long ago, and my hair was damp and curling at the ends, the scent of lavender and vanilla in my nose further calming me.

Cian had gotten a first-aid kit and insisted on tending to my wounds, and although I had a messed up ankle, and my headwound would take time to heal, the rest was pretty superficial. I was sore and achy, but nothing was broken. I knew I’d be really sore over the next few days, but despite all of that, I had a euphoric feeling. Cian and I were alive, and right now we were safe. I could breathe.

“Open for me,” he said in his gruff voice that shouldn’t have turned me on after the night we’d had, but I found my body softening, becoming wet between my thighs, my nipples puckering underneath the plush robe.

I opened my mouth and took the piece of fruit he offered between his fingers. Our gazes held as I took that small red piece of strawberry from him, my lips gently brushing against his thumb and forefinger. I didn’t miss how his jaw tensed, or how his eyes subtly flashed with his desire, his nostrils flaring as if he could pick up the scent of my arousal. But he didn’t say anything about it, didn’t act on it.